October happens to be my birthday month (BIG Libra energy here), and I was blessed to receive many things I loved, in addition to my usual buying and trying lots of stuff. Narrowing down my Monthly Loves was really difficult, but without further ado, here we are. My Monthly Loves for October 2021.
These ultra comfy faux fur slippers from Ted Baker. I actually bought these from a targeted Instagram ad. Ted Baker is a favorite of mine, so I likely would have stumbled upon these eventually. But Instagram got me first. The moment I saw them, I knew I wanted them.
I love a good slipper. This might be surprising to those who know me well, because I generally really don't like having to wear shoes, especially inside. But I have come to terms with the fact that I NEED a house shoe. I'm exceptionally clumsy, and I will stub my toe multiple times a day. My husband calls my house shoes my feet bumpers. They save me from breaking a toe at least once a day. These slippers quickly climbed the ranks of my favorite around the house shoe. I have worn them every day since they arrived, and I cannot say enough about them. They are so soft, have nice cushion, and don't flop too much when I walk. My feet also stay really warm when I wear them, even though they are a sandal style slipper. These are a win. I hope they last a long time (I will definitely provide an update with my Yearly Loves Recap). As a quick aside, we are a NO OUTSIDE SHOES INSIDE house. Hard rule. Take your filthy shoes off the second you hit the doormat. No one wants your daily travels and everything you stepped in along the way tracked into their home. If this isn't something you subscribe to, I would recommend giving it a try. Your mop water, vacuum canister, and overall household vibe will thank you.
This Aerie oversized sweatshirt. This is kind of a two-for-one Monthly Loves review, because I got this oversized sweatshirt after one of my very best friends recommended it. I noticed we were wearing a very similar sweatshirt one day. I was wearing one of my favorite pieces of clothing: my Sloppy Joe Collar 02 sweatshirt. She was wearing the Aerie Happy Henley Everyday Polo Sweatshirt.
Both have the oversized yet still polished look, and both are VERY comfortable. However, there are a few key differences... The Sloppy Joe is a bit more structured, and if I had to choose one based on fabric alone, it would be the Sloppy Joe. It is a bit thicker and I think a higher quality cotton. While I try my best to line dry it, if it ends up in the dryer (which it has), it comes out looking good as new. The Sloppy Joe also has a more tailored straight hem with small side slits.
While the Aerie is a bit thinner than the Sloppy Joe, the fabric is still very good quality and doesn't turn into a wrinkled mess like some thinner cotton does after a moment of wear. The Aerie has a loose fitting banded hem, and most importantly... the Aerie has pockets! The only thing that would make the Collar 02 Sloppy Joe that much more perfect for me would be pockets. I LOVE a pocket. Women's clothing should have more usable pockets. This is a hill I will die on. Pockets are essential.
However, the biggest advantage the Aerie has to the Sloppy Joe? The Aerie is much more readily available. Sloppy Joe is a based out of the UK and rose to fame when the one and only Princess Diana was photographed wearing them in the 90s, working the oversized sweatshirts into her always effortless and chic AF wardrobe. They do limited releases of the Collar 02, which sell out almost instantly. And since they are located in the UK, shipping to the US makes the sweatshirt pretty pricey. It's a splurge for sure.
The Aerie on the other hand is priced well from the start, available both in Aerie stores and online, and since Aerie benefits from a large, corporate backing, you can often find it on sale or included in various promos. Ultimately, if you love the oversized sweatshirt look, the Aerie Happy Henley Everyday Polo is an EXCELLENT choice. As with anything in the oversized department, it runs big. Read the reviews for your perfect size, but I would recommend sizing down at least one size... maybe even two... If you aren't sure what size to order, get the two sizes you're considering and return whichever one you don't end up liking. I ended up doing this, and returning was easy to my local Aerie store.
The Christian Dior Apricot Nail Crème. One of my biggest vices is picking at and gnawing on my cuticles. It's my number one anxiety response, and most of the time I don't realize I'm doing it until someone points it out (usually my dad) or I have picked at them to the point of no return. The number of cuticle oils, balms, creams, etc. I have tried is endless. I have a few loves, which have all been incorporated into my daily cuticle maintenance and at-home manicure, and this nail crème now has a permanent residence among my favorites.
I ordered it directly through Christian Dior, because they offer free ground shipping on all orders. It also comes in really nice packaging. Like, if I gave it as a gift, I would have to do very little before actually gifting it. And while $28 might seem expensive, it will last forever... I have had it for three weeks now, I use it daily, and I've barely made a dent. I would be surprised if this ran out before having it a full year. To be conservative, let's say it lasts me six months or roughly 180 days. I'll round the $28 to $30 for taxes. Admittedly, I'm not a mathematician, but I'm pretty sure that math works out to be 17 cents a day (rounded up). So, yea. I would say while $28 initially seems kind of crazy, at 17 cents a day (conservatively speaking), it's worth it. Get it!
This woven box from Target. It also comes in a larger size. I got them both and really like them. They're from the Threshold designed with Studio McGee collection, which I usually end up buying a few things from each time a new line is released.
I picked these boxes up because I have two young kids, and my life is filled with clutter and STUFF. Honestly, this is something I wish people would have warned me about a bit more before I had kids. The amount of STUFF that comes with having kids is incredible. It's never ending. The older they get, the more stuff there is. My preferred aesthetic is very minimal. I don't like tchotchkes. I don't like clutter. I don't like when things don't have an appropriate home. When my house is overly cluttered or in any form of disarray it really triggers my anxiety. I also have ADHD, so when things are cluttered, my brain feels cluttered. Additionally, tidying up and reorganizing things can take FOREVER with ADHD. I start with one thing and ultimately leave it unfinished because I see something else that needs tidying up, so I start working on that, and then I get distracted again, and so on and so forth. And my house ends up looking like a tornado blew through it after hours of me "tidying up."
All this to say, everything needs a proper place to be put away in when not in use in my home, and finding good looking and functional storage can be a struggle sometimes. So, when I find something that fits the bill, I typically buy it. Because there is always more stuff. Every single day. More stuff. And if I don't find a way to keep it organized, I will throw it all away, which is evidently not an option for everyone else in my house. Everything is apparently essentially to their daily survival. So, here we are.
Rounding out this edition of Monthly Loves, the Olaplex No.4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo. I have been using Olaplex for a while now, and my only complaint was the lack of a purple shampoo. I get my hair highlighted, and anyone with highlighted blonde hair knows it can and will dull between highlighting and for some will get brassy looking. Purple shampoo is a MUST for keeping blonde looking blonde and not orange.
The second I saw Olaplex announce they were adding a purple shampoo to the mix, I hit add to cart. I am not a daily hair washer (more like 2x a week), so I use purple shampoo every time I wash my hair. Since I love the regular Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, I would wash my hair twice every time I washed my hair. First with a purple shampoo and then again with Olaplex No.4. It was annoying and inefficient. Two things I don't love.
Also, I think the whole point of the Olaplex system is to not futz around with other products, because they could ultimately affect the effectiveness of the Olaplex bonding technology. The addition of Olaplex No.4P was exactly what I needed. It works really well to keep my blonde looking fresh and eliminates a second bottle of shampoo from my shower (again, I really don't like clutter).
There you have it. My October 2021 Monthly Loves. I hope you all love them as much as I do! Narrowing it down to five for the month was tough... I will have to find a way to share the other things I loved from the month, because there really are so many other great things.
As always, if you try any of these for yourself, I would love to hear what you think!
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